Are you always behind the wheel during Christmas? Here are some road trip safety tips and expert guidelines that should keep you and those you are traveling with safe during these rather intense Christmas festivities and straight into the New Year!
Be safe on the road this Christmas!
The festive period is finally here, and for most of us car lovers, it means that much of our time will be spent on the roads. Whether it’s going to the mall, attending an office party or visiting some relatives, there are simply a lot of people to see and places to go.
However, as you enjoy this time with your family or friends, remember that car accidents have not gone on holiday. You might not know this, but driving is maybe the most dangerous activity we do each day. Yes, it comes with a lot of potentially hazardous situations especially with many people on the roads during the Christmas period.
It’s therefore important for you to adopt some essential safety road trip tips to keep you safe even as you merry with the rest. Here are our six best suggestions!
1) For Safe Driving, Don’t Get behind the Wheel If You’re Tired
The Christmas holiday season is not only fun, but also quite exhausting. For instance, constantly driving from one store to another just to get some last minute Christmas gifts for your kids. You may also be working tirelessly, trying to get the right decorations as you prepare for ‘Santa’s visit.’
Such activities can easily cause tiredness and drowsiness, two conditions which can easily impair your driving capabilities. What’s more, some road trip facts show that in a country like Ireland, one out of five drivers dies on the roads because of exhaustion.
2) Never Drink and Drive!
This is arguably the most sensitive driving safety facts in this current generation. We all know the excitement that comes with the Christmas period. Whether it’s taking a beer during an office party, or a few glasses of wine in a ball festival, there are plenty of ways in which you can indulge in the festive cheer.
However, even as you do so, maintain a sober head if you’re the person behind the wheel. Keep in mind that alcohol is one of the most frequent and contributing factors to road accidents today. That’s why you should never drink before or while driving. In fact, whenever you feel intoxicated or too drunk to drive, just rest as you wait for your body to recover!
3) Pack Plenty of Healthy Snacks and a Couple of Holiday Treats
When it comes to important road trip tips, having the right diet plan is crucial among them. From our experience, food is an excellent kid’s diversion during such holiday trips. Hence, to keep them excited, keep their bellies full by packing as many healthy snacks as possible.
It will also save you a great deal of money and time as you won’t have to make stops to buy food while on the road. Bring all kinds of healthy treats in separate containers and slowly dole them out.
4) Always Prepare for the Weather before Taking a Road Trip
The weather is quite unpredictable and unchangeable. While there are some fantastic safety driving climatic conditions, others are quite unfavorable and somewhat dangerous. That’s why this is one of the most critical driving safety tips, but sadly, not many people are keen on it.
Be ready for plenty of darkness and rain, freezing conditions as well as high winds. To be safe, reduce your speed, and leave additional distance between you and the car in front to avoid unwarranted accidents. Most importantly, pack some heavy clothes, and boots!
5) Safety Driving Calls for Regular Stops to Merry and Have Fun with Your Kids
This is one of our top road trip tips as it also allows you to bond and have fun with your kids. Of course, if you are traveling with your children, you’ll need to make more stops for playtime and potty breaks. By taking such a break from driving, you improve on your vision, get time to rest, and if you’re normally too busy to exercise, this will also be a good time to do so!
So, if the weather is conducive, you can stop by the local park or a place where you kids can jump around as they enjoy the day. You can even decide to take them to an arcade, or miniature golf center.
6) Most Important of All Road Trip Tips: Is Your Car Insured?
Our last piece of advice in this list of road safety tips will be to remind you to keep your car insured at all times. This may not prevent an accident from happening, but at least you’ll get some piece of mind knowing that you’re protected at all times. Therefore, before the intensity of the Christmas period kicks in, make sure that your vehicle’s insurance is up to date.
Conclusion
These are the road trip tips that you need to keep in mind before going behind the wheel during Christmas holidays. These guidelines will help you to enjoy the festivities and take you safely into the New Year. So, with these road trip safety tips in mind, can you say that you’re doing enough to protect yourself and those around you while driving?
About the Author:
Carlos Blue is an auto expert, traveler, and father of 2 awesome kids. He loves cars and racing. Carlos works at the Shell Service Station and writes expert reviews for AutoExpertGuides. Follow him on Twitter.
